Mark Baute, an L.A.-based lawyer with a hard-nosed reputation, released a public statement on Wednesday that was harshly critical of Kelli Tennant’s press conference in which she said former Lakers coach Luke Walton assaulted her and held her down in a 2014 incident when he was an assistant for the Golden State Warriors. (Photos by The Associated Press)

“Yesterday’s press conference was a poorly staged attempt to portray the accuser as a viable spokesperson for an important movement,” he said in a statement provided to multiple media outlets. “Her lawyers want to create a public circus to distract from their complete lack of evidence to support their outrageous claims. We will not try this case in the media or pay them a dime.”

Baute is known as an attorney who doesn’t back down: He notably defended NBA star Derrick Rose in 2016 when he was cleared of a rape allegation in federal court.

Tennant is seeking damages from Walton most notably for an alleged encounter in which Walton, whom she described as a trusted friend, invited her up to his hotel room under the pretense staying out of sight from other players and staffers for the Warriors. It was there that she said he pinned her to the bed, kissed her and pressed himself against her while she protested.

Tennant also said other flirtatious behavior in the wake of the incident – much of which took place when she was a reporter for Spectrum SportsNet and Walton was with the Lakers – made her uncomfortable and was a significant hurdle for her job. She cited it as a factor in her departure from the network.

One of Tennant’s attorneys, Garo Mardirossian, said that certain physical evidence – such as pictures of bruises and security tape – was unlikely to be obtained for the case, but that Tennant had told other people in her circle about the alleged incident with Walton.

No police or human resources report has been filed on the matter. Mardirossian said Tennant was unlikely to pursue a criminal complaint against Walton, but he did not close the door on the possibility.

The NBA is undertaking an investigation of the Walton incident, which is alleged to have occurred during a Warriors’ trip to L.A. in 2014. The Athletic reported that the Sacramento Kings, who hired Walton earlier this month after he left the Lakers, are supporting him and going through the hiring process of his assistant coaches.